Pterodroma longirostris

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PROCELLARIIFORMES	PROCELLARIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Pterodroma longirostris

Species Authority:

(Stejneger, 1893)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Stejneger's Petrel
Spanish	–	Petrel de Más Afuera

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Calvert, R., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Contributor/s:

Hodum, P., Torres-Mura, J.

Justification:
This species qualifies as Vulnerable owing to its very small breeding range, which renders it susceptible to stochastic events and human impacts. Confirmation that introduced predators are causing a decline may qualify it for uplisting to Critically Endangered.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable
2006	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Pterodroma longirostris breeds on Alejandro Selkirk Island in the Juan Fernández Islands, Chile. The population is estimated at 131,000 pairs¹, but more recent estimates suggest that it may be lower⁷ and may be declining. It is a migrant to the north-west Pacific off Japan⁴. Birds appear to move through a corridor south-east of Hawaii in April-June⁴, with some straying as far south as North Island, New Zealand². There may be a clockwise movement through the north Pacific in late summer and autumn, with birds recorded off California, USA⁴.
Countries:	Native: Chile; French Polynesia; Guam; Japan; Marshall Islands; Northern Mariana Islands; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States Minor Outlying Islands Vagrant: New Zealand Present - origin uncertain: Kiribati
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	In 1986, the population was estimated at 131,000 pairs, implying a world population in excess of 400,000 individuals (Brooke 2004).
Population Trend:	Stable

Population:

In 1986, the population was estimated at 131,000 pairs, implying a world population in excess of 400,000 individuals (Brooke 2004).

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It nests in burrows on slopes in Dicksonia externa fern-forest and adjacent grasslands at elevations of 700-1,1120 m ⁶. Breeding begins in November. One egg is laid in late November-early December with hatching in late January-mid February. Fledging occurs in May. It forms mixed-species colonies with P. externa¹, typically forming small monospecific clusters of burrows in shallow soils within the larger P. externa colony⁷. It feeds in pelagic waters primarily on squid and small fish⁷.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

It nests in burrows on slopes in Dicksonia externa fern-forest and adjacent grasslands at elevations of 700-1,1120 m ⁶. Breeding begins in November. One egg is laid in late November-early December with hatching in late January-mid February. Fledging occurs in May. It forms mixed-species colonies with P. externa¹, typically forming small monospecific clusters of burrows in shallow soils within the larger P. externa colony⁷. It feeds in pelagic waters primarily on squid and small fish⁷.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Predation by feral cats, introduced brown rats Rattus norvegicus⁹ and house mice Mus mus has been documented⁷ and may be causing a population decline^{6, 7}. In mixed colonies with P. externa, cats prefer to take the smaller P. longirostris¹. Introduced goats (c.6,000) are destroying suitable breeding habitat^3,5. In 1995, a fire destroyed habitat within part of the colony⁶, although it is not known if the species was nesting in that part of the colony. In 2002, a massive rainstorm caused multiple landslides within the colony, although the effects of this on the species were unquanitified⁸. Decreased lobster catches near Isla Robinson Crusoe are displacing fishers to Alejandro Selkirk (where they live between September and May), resulting in an increase in human disturbance⁶, although the size of the community has apparently not increased since 2001. The species is potentially threatened by climate change because it has a geographically bounded distribution: its altitudinal distribution falls entirely within 2,000 m of the highest mountain top within its range (1,649 m)¹⁰.

Major Threat(s):

Predation by feral cats, introduced brown rats Rattus norvegicus⁹ and house mice Mus mus has been documented⁷ and may be causing a population decline^{6, 7}. In mixed colonies with P. externa, cats prefer to take the smaller P. longirostris¹. Introduced goats (c.6,000) are destroying suitable breeding habitat^3,5. In 1995, a fire destroyed habitat within part of the colony⁶, although it is not known if the species was nesting in that part of the colony. In 2002, a massive rainstorm caused multiple landslides within the colony, although the effects of this on the species were unquanitified⁸. Decreased lobster catches near Isla Robinson Crusoe are displacing fishers to Alejandro Selkirk (where they live between September and May), resulting in an increase in human disturbance⁶, although the size of the community has apparently not increased since 2001. The species is potentially threatened by climate change because it has a geographically bounded distribution: its altitudinal distribution falls entirely within 2,000 m of the highest mountain top within its range (1,649 m)¹⁰.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway The Juan Fernández Islands were designated as a national park in 1935 (protected from 1967) and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977^5,6. The Chilean government began a habitat restoration programme in 1997⁶ which included goat control, but it concluded in 2003. The islands have been nominated for World Heritage listing³. Park rangers have been trained in fighting fires, but there is only one ranger on Alejandro Selkirk⁶. Sheep were removed from Alejandro Selkirk in 1983¹. Conservation Actions Proposed Maintain and expand population monitoring plots⁷. Determine contemporary breeding population size. Eradicate introduced fauna (feral cats, rats, mice and goats) from Alejandro Selkirk.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
The Juan Fernández Islands were designated as a national park in 1935 (protected from 1967) and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977^5,6. The Chilean government began a habitat restoration programme in 1997⁶ which included goat control, but it concluded in 2003. The islands have been nominated for World Heritage listing³. Park rangers have been trained in fighting fires, but there is only one ranger on Alejandro Selkirk⁶. Sheep were removed from Alejandro Selkirk in 1983¹.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Maintain and expand population monitoring plots⁷. Determine contemporary breeding population size. Eradicate introduced fauna (feral cats, rats, mice and goats) from Alejandro Selkirk.

Bibliography [top]

	Carboneras, C. 1992. Procellariidae (Petrels and Shearwaters). In: del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. (ed.), Handbook of the birds of the world, pp. 216-257. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Falla, R. A. 1962. New Zealand records of Pterodroma longirostris and a new record of Pterodroma leucoptera. Notornis 9(8): 275-277. Hodum, P.; Wainstein, M. 2003. Biology and conservation of the Juan Fernadez seabirds community. Hulm, P. 1995. Robinson Crusoe's Islands face an uncertain future. Plant Talk: 19-21. Jones, H.P., Tershy, B.R., Zavaleta, E.S., Croll, D.A., Keitt, B.S., Finkelstein, M.E. and Howald, G.R. 2008. Severity of the effects of invasive rats on seabirds: a global review. Conservation Biology 22(1): 16-26. Roberson, D.; Bailey, S. F. 1991. Cookilaria Petrels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. American Birds 45: 1067-1081. Stattersfield, A. J.; Crosby, M. J.; Long, A. J.; Wege, D. C. 1998. Endemic bird areas of the world: priorities for bird conservation. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

Carboneras, C. 1992. Procellariidae (Petrels and Shearwaters). In: del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. (ed.), Handbook of the birds of the world, pp. 216-257. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Falla, R. A. 1962. New Zealand records of Pterodroma longirostris and a new record of Pterodroma leucoptera. Notornis 9(8): 275-277.

Hodum, P.; Wainstein, M. 2003. Biology and conservation of the Juan Fernadez seabirds community.

Hulm, P. 1995. Robinson Crusoe's Islands face an uncertain future. Plant Talk: 19-21.

Jones, H.P., Tershy, B.R., Zavaleta, E.S., Croll, D.A., Keitt, B.S., Finkelstein, M.E. and Howald, G.R. 2008. Severity of the effects of invasive rats on seabirds: a global review. Conservation Biology 22(1): 16-26.

Roberson, D.; Bailey, S. F. 1991. Cookilaria Petrels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. American Birds 45: 1067-1081.

Stattersfield, A. J.; Crosby, M. J.; Long, A. J.; Wege, D. C. 1998. Endemic bird areas of the world: priorities for bird conservation. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Pterodroma longirostris. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2012.
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